Installation for loading the launching tubes of a depth-charge launcher



April 9, 1968 T. ELWIN INSTALLATIQN FOR LOADING THE 3,376,785 LAUNCHINGTUBES LAUNCHER OF A DEPTH-CH Filed Jun ARGE e 22,

INVENTOR.'

ELW/N BY A T TORNEYS United States Patent Office 3,376,785 INSTALLATIONFOR LOADING THE LAUNCHING TUBES OF A DEPTH-CHARGE LAUNCHER Tore Elwin,Karlskoga, Sweden, assignor to Aktiebolaget Bofors, Bofors, Sweden FiledJune 22, 1966, Ser. No. 559,554 Claims priority, application Sweden,June 30, 1965, 8,613/ 65 4 Claims. (CI. 8946) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREThere is shown an installation for loading launching tubes of a depthcharge launcher. The installation comprises a hoist including a hoistshaft for loading depth charges into the launching tubes of thelauncher. The charges are delivered to the launching tubes by means of aloading tray which is up and down movable in the shaft between adischarge position and a position for loading depth charges upon thetray which is capable of receiving at least two charges at a time. Theinstallation further comprises a pair of compartmentalized magazineswhich are rotatable about axes parallel to the hoist shaft. Themagazines and the compartments therein are so disposed that inpredetermined angular positions of the magazines one compartment in eachmagazine is in alignment with the loading tray when in the loadingposition for transferring depth charges from the aligned compartments tothe loading tray.

The present invention relates to a depth-charge launcher with an evennumber of launching tubes which can be elevated and possibly alsotraversed. More particularly, the invention relates to a launcher inwhich the longitudinal axes of the tubes are located in one and the sameplane and in which, when the launcher is elevated 90, the launchingtubes each form or can be traversed to form an extension of a loadinghole in a base, for instance a deck, upon which the launcher is mounted.Such loading hole or opening is used to feed depth charges to thelaunching tubes with the aid of a hoist from a depth-charge magazine. Insuch a depthcharge launcher the hoist consists of, for instance, anendless chain mounting a hoisting tray upon which depth charges can beplaced, the number of depth-charges corresponding to the number oflaunching tubes. In this way, the depth-charge launcher can have all ofits launching tubes loaded at one and the same time. The hoist itself isencased in a hoist shaft, and the hoisting tray is provided with guidingmembers which are in contact with the hoist shaft, so that the hoistingtray in the hoist shaft is movable in one direction only. As previouslymentioned, there is an even number of launching tubes. Thus, thedepth-charge launcher can have 2, 4, 6 etc. launching tubes. Four tubeshave been found to be an appropriate number.

The problem with such depth-charge launchers is how to convey thenecessary quantity of depth charges to the hoisting tray rapidly.According to the present invention, the problem has been solved in sucha Way that two cylindrical revolving magazines are used, arranged oneither side of the endless hoist chain in such a way that thecylindrical body surfaces of the revolving magazines come into contactwith each other. The two cylindrical revolving magazines are providedwith an equal number of straight vertical compartments, which extendfrom the body surfaces of the magazines, and which are open at bothends. The compartments have a direction which deviates from the radialdirection. As a result, when two compartments are exactly opposite eachother 3,376,? Patented Apr. 9, 1968 and above the hoisting tray, thehorizontal center line of the two compartments is beside the line whichjoins the vertical turning axes of the two cylindrical magazines. Byarranging the compartments in this way, the advantage is gained that theendless chain and parts associated with the chain will be locatedbetween the cylindrical magazine surfaces at a place where the distancebetween the two surfaces is sufliciently large to accommodate them. Howmuch the horizontal center line of a compartment should deviate from theradius of the corresponding magazine depends upon the distance betweenthe difference launching tubes in the depth-charge launcher.

It is most appropriate to allow the compartments to be so deep that eachof them can accommodate two depth charges, but it is, of course, alsopossible to have compartments for one depth charge, or for more thantwo.

According to the present invention, the rotation of the two cylindricalrevolving magazines is achieved by means of a common drive means, whichis connected to the two magazines in such a way that, when turned, theyrotate in opposite directions.

By the use of common drive means for the two magazines, the advantage isgained that the machinery does not require to be compensated for theadditional forces which arise, if the magazine is placed in a ship, whenthe ship rolls and the magazines are not completely filled. These forcesact upon both magazines, and by using a common drive means, the forcesfrom one magazine counteract the forces from the other.

The present invention will be described in more detail in conjunctionwith the attached drawings, in which FIGS. 1 and 2 show the magazinepart of a depth-charge launcher according to the present invention intwo different stages of operation, and in which FIG. 3 shows a plan of amagazine space for a depth-charge launcher, containing both themagazines according to the present invention and a store of depthcharges.

In the figures, 1 is a rectangular hoist shaft, extending from fourloading openings or holes in a ships deck. There is a projection orchannel in the hoist shaft, in which an endless chain 2 runs, guidedover a pulley 3. A hoisting tray 4, which moves in unison with thechain, is fixed to the chain. The hoisting tray is provided with guidemembers 5 and 6 at its ends, which are in contact with the walls of thehoist shaft, so that the hoisting tray cannot move in the hoist shaftother than in a vertical direction. On the hoisting tray, four depthcharges, 7, 8, 9 and 10 are placed. These are conveyed by the hoistingtray at its movement through the hoist shaft up to a depth-chargelauncher (not shown) mounted on the ships deck (not shown), where fourholes have been made for the four depth charges to pass through, andthese depth charges are fed to four launching tubes. These launchingtubes of the depth-charge launcher are then elevated The hoisting tray 4receives the four depth charges 7, 8, 9 and 10 from two mutually alignedand juxtaposed compartments 13 in two cylindrical revolving magazines 11and 12. The four depth charges 7, 8, 9 and 10 rest in the compartmentswith their ends on two supporting rails 14 and 15. The compartments 13are not disposed radially, but are set obliquely, as may .be clearlynoted from FIG. 3. This has the advantage that the two magazines 11 and12 can have a smaller diameter, and a displacement of the two alignedand juxtaposed compartments from a line which joins the rotationalshafts 19 and 20 of the two magazines. This line would have coincidedwith the horizontal line of symmetry of the two compartments if the twocompartments had been radially disposed. By having compartments disposedat a slant in reference to the radii of the magazine, the further greatadvantage is gained that space is obtained for the endless chain withits housing, as this unit will be located at a place where the distancebetween the body surfaces of the two magazines is satisfactory. Theextent to which the individual compartments need to be set obliquely isdetermined by the distance between the launching tubes.

in FIG. 3, as previously mentioned, the two cylindrical revolvingmagazines are shown from above. Also a number of storage compartments16, 17 and 18 are shown, which contain depth charges which with the aidof some appropriate transport member can be conveyed to empty magazinecompartments in the cylindrical revolving magazines 11 and 12.

When four depth charges are to be transferred to the actual launcher,the hoisting tray 4 is first located below the bottom surface of the twocylindrical revolving magazines 11 and 12. Thereafter, the two magazinesare turned so that two loaded compartments will be located in alignmentwith each other. The four depth charges are then located directly overthe hoisting tray 4. If now the endless chain is set in motion, the fourdepth charges will be conveyed through the hoist shaft 1 up to the fourlaunching tubes. When the depth charges have been fed into the launchingtubes, the hoisting tray 4 is moved down again, so that it will belocated below the bottom of the two revolving magazines 11 and 12.Thereafter, the two revolving magazines are turned so that two newfilled compartments will be located in alignment with each other, sothat their depth charges will be located directly over the hoisting tray4. In this position, the hoist is ready to make a new loading movement.

What is claimed is:

1. An installation for loading launching tubes of a depth chargelauncher, said installation comprising, in combination, a hoist meansincluding a hoist shaft adapted to load depth charges into launchingtubes; a loading tray adapted to receive thereon at least one pair ofdepth charges and transport means supporting said tray for moving thesame up and down within said shaft to deliver depth charges to thelaunching tubes and to receive charges; and a pair of generallycylindrical magazines rotatable about their center axes, each of saidmagazines having in its peripheral wall a plurality of circumferentiallyspaced axially extending loading compartments for receiving therein atleast one depth charge, the rotational axes of said magazines beingmutually parallel and parallel to the lengthwise axis of said hoistshaft, said magazines and said compartments therein being spatiallydisposed so that in predetermined angular positions of said magazines inreference to each other one compartment in one magazine is injuxtaposition and alignment with one compartment in the other magazineand that both compartments are adjacent to the loading tray in thelowered position thereof for transferring depth charges from saidaligned and juxtaposed compartments to the loading tray.

2. An installation according to claim 1, wherein each of saidcompartments defines an acute angle with a radial plane intersecting therespective compartments.

3. An installation according to claim 1, wherein the lengthwise axis ofsaid hoist shaft is disposed intermediate the rotational axes of saidmagazines.

4. An installation according to claim 1, wherein each of saidcompartments has a substantially rectangular transverse cross section,each two compartments in said aligned and juxtaposed positions defininga substantially rectangular outline in the direction transverse of therotational axes of the magazines.

No references cited.

BENJAMIN A. BORCHELT, Primary Examiner.

